Universal adjusting mechanism for tripods

ABSTRACT

An adjusting mechanism of a tripod includes an X-axis adjusting mechanism having an X-axis shaft, a Y-axis adjusting mechanism having a Y-axis shaft, a Z-axis adjusting mechanism having a Z-axis shaft and a leg adjusting mechanism. The X-axis adjusting mechanism is connected to the Y-axis adjusting mechanism which is connected to the Z-axis adjusting mechanism. The X-axis shaft, the Y-axis shaft and the Z-axis shaft intersect at one point. The leg adjusting mechanism has a base and three positioning members are located at equiangular positions around the base. Each positioning member has a first stepped portion and a second stepped portion both of which are located at different height and distance from the center of the base. Each positioning member is connected to a leg joint and an adjusting knob is connected to each leg joint. The first engaging member is engaged with the first stepped portion, or the second engaging member is engaged with the second stepped portion by rotating the adjusting knob so as to set the legs at two different angles.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a tripod that has an adjustingmechanism for orienting cameras.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A conventional tripod generally includes three retractable legswhich can be expanded on the floor and a support board which can berotated in two directions so as to set the camera on the support board.The two-direction adjustment is obviously not satisfied by the users.Besides, the photographers use 23 degrees, or 55 degrees relative to avertical plane when using the tripod. Nevertheless, the conventionaltripod is freely expanded and easily falls even if a minor impact sothat the conventional tripod needs to be improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an adjusting mechanism of a tripod and the mechanism includesan X-axis adjusting mechanism having an X-axis shaft, a Y-axis adjustingmechanism having a Y-axis shaft, and a Z-axis adjusting mechanism havinga Z-axis shaft. The X-axis adjusting mechanism is connected to theY-axis adjusting mechanism which is connected to the Z-axis adjustingmechanism. The X-axis shaft, the Y-axis shaft and the Z-axis shaftintersect at one point.

[0004] In order to set the legs of the tripod at certain angles, thepresent invention provides a leg adjusting mechanism which has a baseand three positioning members are located at equiangular positionsaround the base. Each positioning member has a first stepped portion anda second stepped portion both of which are located at different heightand distance from the center of the base. Each positioning member isconnected to a leg joint and an adjusting knob is connected to each legjoint. The first engaging member is engaged with the first steppedportion, or the second engaging member is engaged with the secondstepped portion by rotating the adjusting knob so as to set the legs at23 degrees and 55 degrees relative to a vertical line.

[0005] The primary object of the present invention is to provide atripod that has a support board capable of being adjusted in threedimensions.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a tripodthat can be easily set at 23 degrees or 55 degrees which meets the needof the users.

[0007] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide atripod wherein the legs can be expanded by a rotational way.

[0008] The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment inaccordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is an exploded view to show the main parts of the tripod ofthe present invention;

[0010]FIG. 2 shows the parts of the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis adjustingmechanism;

[0011]FIG. 3 shows a plane view of the X-axis adjusting mechanism;

[0012]FIG. 3-1 shows a cross sectional view to show springs and beadsare installed between the rotation board and the frame;

[0013]FIG. 4 is an end view to show the mechanism as illustrated in FIG.3;

[0014]FIG. 5 shows the X-axis adjusting mechanism and the Y-axisadjusting mechanism;

[0015]FIG. 6 is an exploded view to show the parts of the leg adjustingmechanism of the tripod;

[0016]FIG. 7 is a plane view to show base of the leg adjustingmechanism;

[0017]FIG. 8 shows the top view, the front view and the bottom view ofthe adjusting knob for the leg adjusting mechanism;

[0018]FIG. 9 shows the adjusting knob on the base so as to adjust theinclination of the legs positioned at 55 degrees, and

[0019]FIG. 10 shows the adjusting knob on the base so as to adjust theinclination of the legs positioned at 23 degrees.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention provides a tripod thatcomprises an X-axis adjusting mechanism 1, a Y-axis adjusting mechanism2, and a Z-axis adjusting mechanism 3. A leg adjusting mechanism 4 isconnected to the three adjusting mechanisms 1, 2, 3.

[0021] FIGS. 2 to 4 show the X-axis adjusting mechanism 1 whichcomprises a first base member 10, an X-axis shaft 11, a rotation board12 and a X-axis scale plate 13. The first base member 10 has center part101 and a central hole 103 is defined in a center of an end of thecenter part 101. Four holes 102 are defined around the central hole 103at equiangular positions. The rotation board 12 has a central hole 120and eight holes 121 are defined around the central hole 120. The centralhole 120 and the eight holes 121 are arranged as a matrix form. TheX-axis shaft 11 can be a bolt which extends through the central hole 120of the rotation board 12 and threadedly engaged with the central hole103 of the center part 101. The four holes 121 in the rotation board 12are in alignment with the holes 102 in the center part 01. Springs 104and beads 105 as shown in FIG. 3-1 are installed between the holes 120and 102. By the engagement of the beads 105 in the holes 102, therotation board 12 is set in position. The X-axis scale plate 13 has fourrods 131 which extend through the rest of the holes 121 in the rotationboard 12 such that the first base member 10 can be rotated about theX-axis shaft 11. When the first base member 10 is rotated relative tothe rotation board 12 to a desired angle, the bead 105 is engaged withanother hole 102 and the angle can be checked by the X-axis scale plate13.

[0022]FIGS. 2 and 5 show the Y-axis adjusting mechanism 2 whichcomprises a second base member 20, a Y-axis shaft 21, a support member22, a nut 23, a board 24, a side cover 25, a Y-axis scale plate 26 and aresilient plate 27. The second base member 20 has a hollow interior andthe support member 22 can be a bearing. The Y-axis shaft 21 has outerthreads and extends through the support member 22, the nut 23, theresilient plate 27 and the board 24, then it is threadedly engaged withthe threaded hole 251 in the side cover 25. The Y-axis scale plate 26 isthen connected to the Y-axis shaft 21 such that the second base member20 can be rotated relative to the Y-axis shaft 21. The angle that isrotated can be checked by the Y-axis scale plate 26.

[0023]FIGS. 2 and 5 show the Z-axis adjusting mechanism 3 whichcomprises a support base 30, a Z-axis shaft 31, a Z-axis scale plate 34,and a washer 35. The support base 30 has a bottom hole 301 for receivinga central shaft 5 of the tripod and a bolt 32 extends through thesupport base 30 and contact against a side of the central shaft 5 so asto fix the central shaft 5 and the support base 30. The support base 30has an opening on a side thereof and two threaded holes are defined intwo opposite insides of the opening. A butterfly-screw 33 extendsthrough the two threaded holes so that when the opening of support base30 closes, the central shaft 5 is securely clamped and limited fromrotation horizontally. When the butterfly-screw 33 is unscrewed, thecentral shaft 5 can be rotated in horizontal direction. The Z-axis shaft31 extends through the washer 35 and is threadedly engaged with thethreaded hole 31 defined in a top of the support base 30. The rods 341on the Z-axis scale plate 34 are inserted in the holes in the washer 35so that the Z-axis scale plate 34 and the washer 35 are connected witheach other. The Y-axis adjusting mechanism 2 is connected to the supportbase 30 by the side cover 25 so that the Y-axis adjusting mechanism 2can be rotated relative to the support base 30.

[0024] The X-axis adjusting mechanism 1, the Y-axis adjusting mechanism2 and the Z-axis adjusting mechanism 3 are connected to be a support onwhich the support board 7 is connected. Camera is then supported on thesupport board 7. A control bar 6 is connected to the support and maycontrol the support to rotate about the X-axis shaft 11, the Y-axisshaft 21 and the Z-axis shaft 31.

[0025] FIGS. 6 to 8 shows the legs adjusting mechanism 4 which comprisesa base 40 with three positioning members 41 at equiangular positionswhich include a first stepped portion 411 which is close to the base 40and located at a high position, and a second stepped portion 412 whichis away from the base 40 and located at a low position. Each of thepositioning members 41 has a hole 413 and pins extend through the holeof the leg joint 8 and the hole 413 to connect the leg joint 8 to thepositioning members 41 and allow the leg joint 8 to be rotated relativeto the base 40. The leg joint 8 is connected to the legs 81. Each legjoint 8 is pivotably connected to a adjusting knob 42 which has a firstengaging member 421 and a second engaging member 422 on a bottomthereof. The two engaging members 421, 422 are oriented in oppositedirections. By rotating the adjusting knob 42, the first engaging member421 is engaged with the first stepped portion 411 on the base 40, or thesecond engaging member 422 is engaged with the second stepped portion422 on the base 40. Therefore, the leg joints 8 and the legs 81 arepositioned at two angles. The vertical surface of each of the firststepped portion 411 and the second stepped portion 412 is a concavesurface so that a side of each of the first engaging member 421 and thesecond engaging member 422 is correspondingly made to be a convex side.The first engaging member 421 and the second engaging member 422 arecam-shaped and the contour of the cam is designed so that when the firstengaging member 421 is engaged with the first stepped portion 411, thelegs 81 is positioned at 55 degrees relative to a vertical line. Whenthe second engaging member 422 is engaged with the second steppedportion 412, the legs 81 is positioned at 55 degrees relative to avertical line as shown in FIG. 9. When the second engaging member 422 isengaged with the second stepped portion 412, the legs 81 is positionedat 23 degrees relative to a vertical line as shown in FIG. 10.

[0026] While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordancewith the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in theart that further embodiments may be made without departing from thescope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An adjusting mechanism of a tripod, comprising:an X-axis adjusting mechanism having a first base member and an X-axisshaft extending through the first base member; a Y-axis adjustingmechanism having a second base member and a Y-axis shaft extendingthrough the second base member; a Z-axis adjusting mechanism having athird base member and a Z-axis shaft extending through the third basemember; the X-axis shaft, the Y-axis shaft, and the Z-axis shaftintersecting at a point; a leg adjusting mechanism having a base andthree positioning members located at equiangular positions around thebase, the positioning member having a first stepped portion which islocated at a high position and close to a center of the base, and asecond stepped portion which is located at a low position and away fromthe center of the base, each positioning member connected to a leg jointand an adjusting knob connected to each leg joint, the adjusting knobhaving a first engaging member and a second engaging member on a bottomthereof, the first engaging member being oriented in opposite directionto the second engaging member, the first engaging member being engagedwith the first stepped portion on the base, or the second engagingmember being engaged with the second stepped portion by rotating theadjusting knob so as to set the legs at two different angles.
 2. Themechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Z-axis adjusting mechanismincludes a rotation board and an X-axis scale plate, the first basemember having a center part which has a central hole (103) defined in acenter of an end thereof, four holes (102) defined around the centralhole (103) at equiangular positions, the rotation board having a centralhole (120) and eight holes (121) defined around the central hole (120)at equiangular positions, the eight holes and the central hole beingarranged in a matrix form, the X-axis shaft extending through thecentral hole of the rotation board and engaged with the central hole ofthe center part, the four holes (120) of the rotation board being inalignment with the four holes (102) of the center part, springs andbeads being located between the aligned holes (120)(102), the X-axisscale plate having four rods which extend through the rest of the holes(120) of the rotation board.
 3. The mechanism as claimed in claim 1,wherein the Y-axis adjusting mechanism 2 comprises a board, a resilientplate, a nut, a support member, a Y-axis scale plate and a side cover,the Y-axis shaft having outer threads and extending through the supportmember, the nut, the resilient plate and the board, then threadedlyengaged with a threaded hole (251) in the side cover so as to connectthe Y-axis scale plate to the Y-axis shaft.
 4. The mechanism as claimedin claim 1, wherein the Z-axis adjusting mechanism comprises a supportbase, a washer and a Z-axis scale plate, the support base connected tothe Z-axis shaft at a bottom thereof and the Z-axis shaft extendingthrough the washer and engaged with the top of the support base, theZ-axis scale plate fixed to the washer and the Y-axis adjustingmechanism connected to the support base and capable of rotation relativeto the support base.
 5. The mechanism as claimed in claim 1 whereinrespective one of two vertical surfaces is a concave surface andrespective one of two side surfaces of the first engaging member and thesecond engaging member is a convex surface which is matched with theconcave surface.
 6. The mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein whenthe first engaging member is engaged with the first stepped portion, thelegs is set at 55 degrees relative to a vertical line, and when thesecond engaging member is engaged with the second stepped portion, thelegs is set at 23 degrees relative to a vertical line.